RHONJ: A Deep Dive Into Joe And Melissa Gorga's Legal Troubles
"Do not bring up my family!" Joe Gorga's big sister, Teresa Giudice, made national news when she was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison for committing white-collar crimes, including wire fraud, bankruptcy fraud, and tax evasion. To make matters worse, her then-husband and father of her four dorters — er, we mean daughters — Joe Giudice, was also sentenced to federal prison for a whopping 41 months and eventually deported back to his native country of Italy after serving out his prison time. Now, it's Teresa's estranged brother, Joey, and his wife, Melissa Gorga, who are in the proverbial hot seats.
The famous "Real Housewives of New Jersey" couple made headlines in 2023 when it was revealed that they were embroiled in not one, not two, but three separate lawsuits simultaneously. And while it doesn't appear they will face any jail time for their legal problems, they could be forking over some serious cash. Here's everything we know about the Gorgas legal troubles — so pay attention, puh-lease!
The Gorgas are being sued for unpaid construction materials
On November 20, 2022, "Real Housewives of New Jersey" star Melissa Gorga took to Instagram to revel in the completion of the new dream home that hubby Joe Gorga had just built for her. "Always wanted a chic white brick house. We love what we do," she penned in the post's caption, along with the heart hands emoji and a video showing the exterior of the expansive home. "Work hard play hard. Can't wait to show you inside."
Alas, the joy didn't last too long. Merely five days later, on November 25, 2022, All About the Tea reported that County Concrete Corporation was suing Melissa and Joe Gorga for a whopping $30,264.06 in unpaid building materials. Yikes. Unfortunately for the Gorgas, the lawsuit didn't end there. As reported by The U.S. Sun, the concrete company filed an amendment to the lawsuit on December 21, 2022, alleging that the unpaid debt of materials from September 2021 through January 2022 actually totaled a staggering $110,972.58.
It should be noted, however, that Joe vehemently refuted the concrete company's claims. In additional documents obtained by The U.S. Sun, Joe and his legal counsel requested that the lawsuit be dismissed due to fraud. "The parties reached an agreement for a lesser amount than alleged, and said agreement should be enforced. Defendant Gorga was and is acting in his corporate capacity, and there is no basis in law for the claim against him personally," the response maintained.
Two more people have come forward with lawsuits against the Gorgas
Aside from the six-figure lawsuit, Melissa and Joe Gorga are also in the midst of two other lawsuits, including a personal injury lawsuit and another suit that stemmed from an unpaid debt.
As for the personal injury claim, a woman by the name of Blanca Hernandez filed a suit against the Gorgas in December 2022, alleging that she had sustained "diverse injuries, great pain, and suffering" during a stay on a Gorga property that was kept in a "negligent, careless and reckless manner," according to legal documents obtained by In Touch. In April 2023, however, the couple responded to them, denying that they were responsible for Hernandez's injuries, citing that they "were the result of circumstances over which this/these Defendant(s) had no control or right of control, and this/these Defendant(s) is/are not liable therefore." They requested that the case be dismissed.
In June 2023, the famous reality couple was hit with another lawsuit — only this time, their former attorney, Alan Trembulak, took them to court. According to documents obtained by The U.S. Sun, Trembulak was suing the Gorgas for $3,337.50 in unpaid legal fees derived from a commercial real estate sale of $6 million. "Despite plaintiff's demands, the defendant has failed and refused to pay any portion of the amount due," the lawsuit alleged.